Esther – We Love DC http://www.welovedc.com Your Life Beyond The Capitol Sun, 16 Nov 2014 15:59:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.9 We Love Arts: Fiddler on the Roof http://www.welovedc.com/2014/11/16/we-love-arts-fiddler-on-the-roof-2/ Sun, 16 Nov 2014 15:59:53 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=98508 It is easy to produce a decent production of Fidd

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Jonathan Hadary as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater October 31, 2014-January 4, 2015. Photo by Margot Schulman.

Jonathan Hadary as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater October 31, 2014-January 4, 2015. Photo by Margot Schulman.

It is easy to produce a decent production of Fiddler on the Roof. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, Fiddler on the Roof has enjoyed tens of thousands of productions throughout the world. Set against the background of Imperial Russia in 1905, the musical tells the story of poor milkman Tevye and his attempts to adhere to his Jewish religious traditions, despite the outside influences that encroach upon the lives of his family and village. The script and music, written by Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock, and Sheldon Harnick, are so nearly perfect in their form and structure, even a theatre lacking in any creativity can still end up with a decent production. Because the show’s constructs are so specific in terms of setting, time, and place, the design, direction, and casting for the show end up fairly staid, regardless of production, which is why it is easy to produce a decent production of Fiddler on the Roof.

And yet, the very same thing that makes a decent production so easy to do, is also the reason why producing a truly incredible production of Fiddler on the Roof is so challenging. Directors, designers, and theatre artists wanting to not simply recreate the same production of Fiddler on the Roof that has been seen on the tens of thousands of stages over the past 50 years is extremely hard. This is a show where keeping the integrity of the material is the foremost priority, so trying to find ways of making this iconic musical-theatre staple feel original and unique requires a team of visionaries who understand that sometimes the way to do this is to not try to do something original and unique. Whether or not this was deliberate on the part of director Molly Smith and her creative team at Arena Stage, the final result was that what could have been merely a decent production ended up being truly incredible.

What I appreciated about this production is that Smith and her team kept the visual and directing aspects simple, basic, and consistent with what one would expect to see with any production of Fiddler on the Roof. The show is so well written that it doesn’t require embellishment and they recognized that, remaining true to the text and the original conceptual intent of the piece. There were a few bits of visual charm throughout the show, including the clever use of hydraulics in The Dream and Parker Esse’s incredible choreography in To Life and the Wedding Dance, but for the most part, the show was lacking in technical frills, which allowed for the true magic to emerge—the story. Fiddler on the Roof is, above all else, the tale of a man whose life doesn’t turn out as he thought it would. Try as he might to ensure that he and his family are provided for and happy in the way he wants them to be, he finds himself repeatedly being filled with disappointments in his children, himself, and his God. Forced to redefine what happiness, family, and faith look like, Tevye’s story really is the story of every man, despite being set in 1905 Russia.

Understanding that Tevye really is an everyman, Jonathan Hadary in the lead role was amazing. Although very different from the well-known and iconic performances of Tevye as created by Zero Mostel or Topol, which have since been imitated by thousands of actors over the past 50 years, Hadary made the role his own. His Tevye was sweet and sincere, a vulnerable man whose love for his family was evident, but also a man who uses light-heartedness as a defense mechanism, since to do otherwise would highlight the cruel injustices of life. Hadary’s Tevye remains an optimist, finding that nugget of laughter or happiness in the most grim of circumstances even when he is forced to the breaking point of sorrow. Without a trace of the gruff or hardened Tevye audiences are perhaps used to seeing, Hadary really shows the resilience of the human spirit when he is faced with adversity, disappointment, and sorrow. He can’t choose his circumstances, but he can choose how he reacts to them and Hadary chooses to see the world with rose colored glasses. It was a refreshing take on the role and brought a whole new perspective to the show.

Also amazing in the production were Joshua Morgan as tailor Motel Kamzoil, and Maria Rizzo as Tevye’s daughter, Chava. Most of the actors in the show, in fact, were very talented, but the performances by Morgan and Rizzo stood out because, like Hadary, they found unique approaches to their characters. Instead of simply being nervous and squirrelly, Morgan’s Motel was more focused and driven. Still a bit socially awkward and clumsy, Morgan was able to keep the loveable aspects of Motel while proving to be more assertive and ambitious than he appears. Similarly, Rizzo’s Chava was not ,merely headstrong, but was, instead, curious, soft-hearted, and wise.

Director Smith was also wise in choosing to cast a large group of local performers whose onstage chemistry as an ensemble was incredible. Knowing that these actors are friends both on and offstage produced an energy that was palpable and evident, as each scene and musical number found the performers in total and complete synchronicity. It also made the eviction of the Jews by the Russians so much more powerfully sad. Not only were the Jews in the show seen as the victims of the Imperialist edicts, but the Russians were as well, to some degree, since their pain in having to force their friends out of their homes was unmistakable. This camaraderie was where the real magic of the production happened. Fiddler on the Roof is a show about love, family, and community. To distinguish this version from every other one required something special and, in casting such a well-meshed collective of performers who clearly formed a community of love and became a family, the end result is a tightly-knit show, simple but lovely, and definitely special. This isn’t the movie, nor is it your average decent production. Fiddler on the Roof at Arena Stage has heart. And that’s so much better.

Fiddler on the Roof performs at Arena Stage’s Fichandler Theater now through January 4, 2015, located at 1101 6th St SW, Washington DC 20024. Tickets start at $50. For more information, call 202-554-9066.

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We Love Arts: The Shoplifters http://www.welovedc.com/2014/09/25/we-love-arts-the-shoplifters/ http://www.welovedc.com/2014/09/25/we-love-arts-the-shoplifters/#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2014 09:00:42 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=98380 If I ever decide to steal groceries, I want Morri…

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Jayne Houdyshell as Alma in The Shoplifters at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, September 5-October 19, 2014. Photo by Teresa Wood.

Jayne Houdyshell as Alma in The Shoplifters at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, September 5-October 19, 2014. Photo by Teresa Wood.

If I ever decide to steal groceries, I want Morris Panych and Jayne Houdyshell with me. The former, the playwright and director of Arena Stage’s current production, The Shoplifters, concocts such a solid and sympathetic justification for stealing that I found myself rooting for the latter, who plays Alma, an amateur career grocery thief, so convincingly and wonderfully that I really wanted her to get away with their crime.

The Shoplifters is a humorous and endearing glimpse into the lives of two supermarket security guards and the two would-be steak stealers they nab in the meat department of their store. Without making shoplifting look glamorous or fun, Panych has written a compelling script that examines why some people are wanting to continually commit criminal misdemeanors and why others let them get away with it.

At the heart of the play are Alma (Houdyshell) and Otto (Delaney Williams) as robber and cop, respectively, each trying to figure out the other, while simultaneously trying to deny that both their career paths have led them down the same emotional road. When the two are able to come to a mutual understanding and respect for one another in an amenable, but not unexpected conclusion, it is heartwarming. Contrast that with the roles of the younger bandit, Phyllis (Jenna Sokolowski), and officer, Dom (Adi Stein), where the traditional emotions, logic, and conclusions of both criminal and captor are more obvious. Eager to fight crime, and scared of getting in trouble, both Dom’s and Phyllis’ journeys are simpler than Otto’s and Alma’s, which makes their conclusions much more predictable, but no less satisfying for audience members who expect the bad guys to get their comeuppance and the good guys to prevail. But for those of us in the audience who value reason over justice and who like to see norms defied, the end of the journey for both Dom and Phyllis seemed anti-climatic and expected, although still amusing.

In order to remain varied and lively, the plot needs two different conclusions for the two different law-enforcement couplings. Yet the more expected path of Phyllis and Dom—spoiler alert—with Phyllis’s guilt and fear overriding her sense of adventure, leading to her repentance and restitution and Dom’s righteous indignation at those who break the law and his refusal to yield his Judeo-Christian ethic of “Thou Shalt Not Steal”’ to even the humblest of criminals, ended up being far less interesting simply because it was predictable.

What this meant for actors Sokolowski and Stein was that their performances, too, were less interesting and predictable from those of Houdyshell and Williams. When offered up an expected emotional arc, Sokolowski and Stein provided little surprise or depth to their Phyllis and Dom. Williams was likeable and sensitive as Otto, and I found myself rooting for him to succeed, although I wasn’t sure what I wanted that success to look like since succeeding at his job meant nabbing the criminals and succeeding as a person meant being compassionate to them. More obvious in her intentions, but no less complex, was Houdyshell’s Alma who, from the beginning, lets the audience know that she intends to not only get away with shoplifting but refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing in it. Not only does she see no wrongdoing, she actually sees value in what she is doing, even declaring to the security guards at one point “If a person steals something, try to show just a little appreciation. If it wasn’t for shoplifters, you wouldn’t have a job.”

Although Alma’s motivations seem simple enough, Houdyshell’s depth in inhabiting the character so effortlessly and flawlessly was nothing short of brilliant. I didn’t feel like I was watching an actor, but believed I was witnessing an actual criminal, down on her luck, who was just trying to survive. And I wanted her to. To so fully embody a character that seems so simple on the outside, and to bring in great complexity and such warmth, sympathy, and understanding was exceptional.

Houdyshell’s performance, alone, is reason to see The Shoplifters at Arena Stage. Add to it a talented supporting cast and a compelling character study as to the lengths people will go to in order to get what they want, combined with a lot of understated, but hilarious dialogue, and a ticket to the show may just be worth stealing.

The Shoplifters performs at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater now through October 19, located at 1101 6th St SW, Washington DC 20024. Tickets start at $45. For more information, call 202-554-9066.

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We Love Arts: Sunday in the Park with George http://www.welovedc.com/2014/08/22/we-love-arts-sunday-in-the-park-with-george/ Fri, 22 Aug 2014 20:00:51 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=98192 For persons wholly unfamiliar with the musical …

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Brynn O’Malley (Dot) and Claybourne Elder (George) in Sunday in the Park with George at Signature Theatre. Photo by Margot Schulman.

Brynn O’Malley (Dot) and Claybourne Elder (George) in Sunday in the Park with George at Signature Theatre. Photo by Margot Schulman.

For persons wholly unfamiliar with the musical theatre canon of Stephen Sondheim, the Neo-impressionist artist George Seurat and his famous painting A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, or the work of DC-area director Matthew Gardiner, Sunday in the Park with George at Signature Theatre is worth seeing. For fans and admirers of Sondheim, Seurat, or Gardiner, seeing Signature’s production is absolutely essential. In fact, it’s vital. In the 97-year history of the Pulitzer Prize for drama, only eight musicals have won the coveted award and in 1985, Sondheim and book writer James Lapine’s fictionalized story of Seurat and his pointillist creation of A Sunday on La Grande Jatte became the sixth musical to achieve such an honor. Inspired by Seurat’s technique of applying a series of tiny, individual colored dots to form an image, Sondheim not only mimicked the style musically and verbally– through the use of staccato phrases, simple melodies, and clipped conversation—but he even named his female protagonist Dot. More than that, though, Sondheim and Lapine, in studying Seurat’s painting which depicts random people relaxing in a park on an island in the Seine River, wanted to give a voice to the one figure that seemed to be missing from the canvas: the artist himself. Sunday in the Park with George is written as two separate acts, whose individual stories merge at the end of Act II, to complete a thematic journey of art and love. Act I explores Seurat’s creation of the art and his struggle between passion for the work, and passion for his relationships, most notably with his lover, Dot. Three generations later, Act II features Seurat’s great-grandson George, an American artist trying to find his own passion, who eventually visits the island on the Seine River, depicted in Seurat’s painting, for inspiration, and ultimately ends up finding himself through his ancestry. Because the two acts are set nearly one hundred years apart, with completely different characters, styles of music, and seemingly unconnected plots, trying to seamlessly merge the two acts and complexity of the show’s themes is difficult. Particularly challenging is doing this without losing the pointillist nuances and simplicities in the script and musical score, all the while trying to give voice to the artists of the piece. In less than capable hands, Sunday in the Park with George can easily become droll, lackluster, and completely uninspired, rendering audiences bored, confused, and unmoved. Fortunately, Signature Theatre placed their production in the extremely capable hands of director Matthew Gardiner and the end result is breathtaking and awe-inspiring enchantment. Without adding too much unnecessary embellishment or frills to the piece, Gardiner flawlessly leads the audience through the complex world of the show by focusing on the show’s basic theme of allowing one’s passions to come from the heart and using that passion to make something beautiful. Gardiner seems to understand very well that those making this piece are, in essence, their own characters in Sunday in the Park with George and Gardiner’s heart and passion for the work are very evident in every aspect of this show. In fact, one of the reasons why Signature’s production is so beautiful is because everyone involved in the production seems to bring their full heart and passion to it. Claybourne Elder, in the title roles, first as George Seurat and then as 1980s artist George, carries the show gracefully, finding the perfect balances between artist and lover, relative and friend, passion and person, and tormented versus inspired. Never allowing his Georges to become sullen, moody, and unlikable, Elder remains sympathetic and heartfelt, even when his on-stage behaviors are self-destructive and disagreeable. To be able to do that, while creating two separate and distinct Georges, and then find a way to merge them together at the end of Act II is nothing but brilliant when done well and Elder’s portrayal is sheer genius. Similarly, Brynn O’Malley, first as Seurat’s lover, Dot, and then as 1980s George’s grandmother, Marie, (Seurat and Dot’s daughter), is incredible. As Dot, O’Malley remains grounded and keeps it simple, which is imperative for a character who, like the pointillist style she is named after, allows for the audience to see her fuller range of tones, from her solid comedic chops to her fine dramatic work. As the aged Marie in Act II, O’Malley’s transformation into a centenarian Grandmother is spectacular, wonderfully adopting the geriatric behaviors and nuances without allowing herself to become a caricature. No less impressive than Elder and O’Malley is a talented ensemble of actors who, like Gardiner and his team of gifted collaborators, clearly bring their full passion and love to this production. To see a show with such heart from all sides is truly special and rare, which is why Signature’s production of Sunday in the Park with George is so moving and so spectacular. It is the quintessential love letter to Sondheim, Seurat, theatre, and to art. Sunday in the Park with George performs now through September 21, 2014 at Signature Theatre, located at 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington VA 22206. Tickets start at $40. For more information, call 703-820-9771.

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We Love Arts: The Threepenny Opera http://www.welovedc.com/2014/04/30/we-love-arts-the-threepenny-opera/ Wed, 30 Apr 2014 13:00:05 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=97205 Meh. That’s the best way to describe Signature

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Polly Peachum (Erin Driscoll) and Lucy Brown (Rick Hammerly) vie for the love of Macheath in “The Threepenny Opera,” now playing at Signature Theatre through June 1, 2014. Photo by Margot Schulman.

Polly Peachum (Erin Driscoll) and Lucy Brown (Rick Hammerly) vie for the love of Macheath in “The Threepenny Opera,” now playing at Signature Theatre through June 1, 2014. Photo by Margot Schulman.

Meh. That’s the best way to describe Signature Theatre’s production of The Threepenny Opera. But I can’t blame them for it. After all, it was written to be that way. Sort of.

Playwright Bertolt Brecht, who lived in Germany through the mid 20th century, believed that theatre was meant to be a forum for political ideas, in the hopes that it would result in actual social and bureaucratic change. Most notably authoring plays such as The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Mother Courage and Her Children, he is also credited with establishing the genre of Epic Theatre, of which almost all his plays, including The Threepenny Opera, are a part of.

Epic Theatre is based on the idea that a play should not create any type of emotional cartharsis or cause the spectator to identify emotionally at all with the characters or action on stage. By denying the audience any type of impassioned feeling, he believed it would instead allow them to adopt a critical socio-political view designed to provoke self-reflection and be moved to effect real change in the world.

To achieve this effect, Brecht’s Epic Theatre relies most importantly on verfremdungseffekt, which essentially is the effect of deliberately distancing or estranging the audience from what they are viewing. The Threepenny Opera, therefore, is purposely written to keep the audience at bay in the hopes of creating enough social rumination that its spectators will leave the theatre as active advocates for civic change.

The problem with Brecht’s Epic Theatre is that unless the perfect combination of political, social, cultural, and theatrical production elements occur—as was the case with the original 1928 Berlin production, which played more than 400 times over two years, sparking an entire movement of non-Aristotelian drama—the principle of verfremdungseffekt will leave the audience unmoved and uninspired, as was the case with Signature Theatre’s production.

Based on John Gay’s 1728 play The Beggar’s Opera, The Threepenny Opera tells the story of the morally corrupt working-class Peachum family who conspire to have London’s most notorious criminal and playboy Macheath arrested after he marries their seemingly innocent daughter. As the show progresses, the audience discovers that every single character in the show is utterly corruptible and reprehensible, and begs the question of who actually deserves to be punished for their sins if everyone is disgraceful.

Director Matthew Gardiner and his design team have created a visually interesting show, making use of tableau to generate a series of lovely live images. Costume designer Frank Labovitz’s costumes fit the nature of the characters perfectly, and the intricacies of video designer Rocco Disanti’s projections were fun to watch (particularly the stock ticker that subtlely has all positive stocks drop to negative worth before they finish scrolling). Gardiner has a keen eye for detail, which was evident in both the design of the show as well as providing the only real layer of depth in a deliberate one-dimensional production, which served as the only truly interesting part of the show.

This was especially evident in Erin Driscoll’s (as the ingénue Polly Peachum) Barbara’s Song, where she explains to her parents (played with impressive zeal by Bobby Smith and Donna Migliaccio) why she married the criminal Macheath (Mitchell Jarvis). The musical highlight of the show, Driscoll managed to break Brecht’s intended verfremdungseffekt to actually draw in the audience emotionally, taking them on her humorous journey of lust. Rick Hammerly, who played Lucy Brown with such remarkable conviction that I had a hard time believing the female character was actually a male actor, was able to rise to the challenge of pulling me in emotionally so that she became the only character whose ending I actually cared about. Similarly, Smith also has a knack for naturally drawing the audience in and I found myself trying to connect with him, despite the script’s inherent attempts to detract me from doing just that.

Unfortunately, Brecht’s desire to remove all emotional connection to the show and its characters was quite successful, regardless of the fact that the cast was stellar. Jarvis’s commendable performance as Macheath (reminiscent of Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy) was not enough to keep me from caring whether or not he was actually hung in the end and, despite having an incredible singing voice, Natascia Diaz’s (as the prostitute Jenny)familiar Flick Knife Song (also known as the popular crooner tune Mack the Knife) left me feeling blasé at best.

Although my indifference to the show may have been a result of some flaw in this particular production, it was unclear where any specific flaw was, if at all. The show, as a whole, is actually very well put together. The cast is extremely talented, the production quality spot on, and the direction was well thought out. For this reason, I can only attribute my apathetic reaction to Brecht’s intentionally detached script and composer Kurt Weill’s music, which is notoriously devoid of favorable melody.

Signature Theatre’s production succeeded in accomplishing Brecht’s desire of having me be nothing more than an emotionally passive spectator. Where it (and Brecht) failed was that I did not leave the theatre feeling any type of self-reflection or the need to invoke any type of socio-political change. I don’t know if it’s because my world of 2014 Washington DC is a just too different from 1928 Berlin, or because the production was unable to find that fine line that is perhaps required to successfully initiate social change. All I know is I left the theatre with only one feeling. Meh.

The Threepenny Opera performs now through June 1, 2014 at Signature Theatre, located at 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington VA 22206. Tickets start at $40. For more information, call 703-820-9771.

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We Love Arts: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee http://www.welovedc.com/2014/03/31/we-love-arts-the-25th-annual-putnam-county-spelling-bee/ Mon, 31 Mar 2014 17:00:46 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=96807 Although Broadway musicals throughout histor…

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The cast of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Photo by Scott Suchman.

The cast of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Photo by Scott Suchman.

Although Broadway musicals throughout history have been written about a tireless myriad of topics and events, few plot lines seem weaker or less full of suspense at the onset than The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. With the entire storyline centering on the events at a Midwest American spelling bee, the only initial enthusiasm for the show seems to be in wondering who the winner will be. Yet despite the fact that the entire plot really is exactly what it seems to be—contestants competing in a small-town spelling bee—The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a work of musical genius and one of the most amusing and entertaining shows I have ever seen.

The cleverness of the show lies in its complex simplicity. The plot is simple, with the audience knowing that as the show progresses, each of the contestants will be eliminated from the competition until there is only one winner. But book writer Rachel Sheinkin and composer/lyricist William Finn have added a wonderful layer of complexity to the show by leaving the audience asking more than just “who will win,” but also “what will cause the others to lose”, “how did the contestants come to be at the spelling bee in the first place”, and “how will this one event shape the remainder of the contestants lives (if at all)”. To be answered through short musical vignettes woven in between the actual bits of competition, and to all be done in a way that is uproariously hysterical is sheer brilliance.

Because of its simplicity, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a show that is easy to do well, even for the most amateur of theaters, and the current professional production at Ford’s Theatre does not disappoint. Director Peter Flynn has assembled a talented cast and production team that includes musical director Christopher Youstra and choreographer Michael Bobbitt. Together, they have assembled a show that is rare for Ford’s Theatre in that it’s not just very well done, but it’s also really approachable for audiences. This didn’t feel like an audience watching a musical, it felt like an audience watching an actual spelling bee, which was perhaps helped by the fact that four members of the audience are actually brought onstage as competitors in the spelling bee (and scripted to be eliminated at certain points in the script by being given impossible spelling words). Still, most of the actors were able to create characters that were relatable and identifiable, which is made challenging by the fact that these are adult actors playing children.

Particularly impressive were Carolyn Agan (as Olive Ostrovsky), Vishal Vaidya (William Barfee), and Felicia Curry (Marcy Park) whose childlike innocence was achieved without becoming too childish. Grounding their performance in finding the awkwardness that is adolescence instead of playing to familiar character stereotypes was notable. Also of note was Rachel Zampelli as spelling bee host Rona Lisa Perretti whose deadpan witty, side-splitting ad-libbed interactions with and about the audience contestants were delightful.

The most surprising standout of all, though, was Matthew A. Anderson as Vice Principal Douglas Panch. Often a forgettable character who reads word definitions to the spellers, Anderson was able to turn a nondescript, lecherous also-ran into a sympathetic, likeable and memorable underdog.

The only real disappointment with the production is the fact that the best song in the show (and one of the best songs in contemporary musical theatre anthology), was edited, no doubt to appeal to the droves of middle-school groups who descend on Washington DC each spring for their class trip and were present in the audience on press night. When contestant Chip Tolentino (played by William Kempski) spots a pretty girl in the audience, his subsequent erection causes him to make a spelling mistake and he is eliminated. In Ford’s production, the musical number that follows, Chip’s Lament, also called My Unfortunate Erection, was altered to be ‘My Unfortunate Distraction’ with all references to the offending protuberance minimized and made family friendly. Although audience members unfamiliar with the original song had no idea what they were missing out on, those of us who know the show and were expecting the version we love were disappointed. Indeed, it was a disservice to Kempski whose star moment in the show was diminished by lyrics that fail to reveal the true nature of his shame. Understandably, the lyrics had to be changed to appeal to the hordes of groups who will attend the show, but it was, nevertheless, unsatisfactory to have such an ingenious song dulled down.

Still, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a production worth seeing and much funnier, clever, wittier, engaging, and entertaining than a musical about a spelling bee would be expected to be. The characters are loveable, the audience contestants are hysterical (without meaning to be, making them all the more hysterical), and the music is fun (the edited Chip’s Lament excluded). Scripps National Spelling Bee has nothing on Putnam County. I’d rather be in Putnam County any day.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Been performs now through May 17, 2014 at Ford’s Theatre, located at 511 Tenth Street NW, Washington DC (between E and F street). Tickets start at $18. For more information, call 202-347-4833.

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We Love Arts: Beaches http://www.welovedc.com/2014/03/05/we-love-arts-beaches/ Wed, 05 Mar 2014 18:00:24 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=96476 For a number of years, Broadway musicals based o…

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Alysha Umpress as Cee Cee (left) Mara Davi as Bertie (right).  Photo by Margot I. Schulman.

Alysha Umpress as Cee Cee (left) Mara Davi as Bertie (right). Photo by Margot I. Schulman.

For a number of years, Broadway musicals based on their respective movies have been a staple on the Great White Way. In fact, more than one-third of the musicals currently on Broadway were films before they were ever stage productions. While some of these live adaptations fare very well with audiences, producers often find that taking a beloved film, musicalizing it, and then putting it on stage is a risky venture. One of the major reasons new productions are put through a series of workshops and premieres before opening on Broadway, in fact, is to gauge the potential success it will have and to edit and make changes along the way.

Signature Theatre has been instrumental over the years in assisting these budding new shows find footing by producing their world premieres in its Arlington facility, with almost 40 productions to date, including their current musical, Beaches. Based on Iris Rainer Dart’s 1985 novel, which the 1988 film with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey was adapted from, Beaches follows two friends through a 30-year friendship. One a brash performer, the other a WASP-y blueblood, these seemingly different women forge a powerful companionship when a chance meeting on the beach as young girls in the 1950s leads to a lifelong friendship that tests the bonds of sisterhood and shows the strength of friendship.

Those familiar with the novel or the film will find few surprises in the plot of Signature’s stage adaptation, which sticks closely to Dart’s tale, urging the ushers and ticket takers at the door to remind audience members to “bring the tissues.” Dart herself, along with Thom Thomas, wrote the script for the show and neither she, nor director Eric Schaeffer make an effort to spare the audience from the sorrowful ending. Neither do they dwell on it, however, focusing instead, as the film does, on the hope of a new generation of friendship and love. While I loved that this was the focus of the ending, I was disappointed that there was not a final moment between Cee Cee (played by Alysha Umpress) and Bertie (Mara Davi). Bertie’s death is signified to Cee Cee through a simple nod by the hospice nurse (Bayla Whitten), robbing the audience of that final, yet potentially painful, goodbye between best friends.

Being a world premiere production, Beaches is still very much a work in progress which means that Schaeffer, and his creative team, including choreographer Dan Knechtges and musical director Gabriel Mangiante, were still playing around with the show, adding, cutting, and rearranging the various elements up until they set the show on March 1, just in time for its opening. That being said, Beaches does not feel like a workshop production or a show in its infancy. Rather, it reads like a tried and tested show, with a weight and maturity usually associated with a long production history. The fact that the plot has remained virtually intact through its many iterations helps with this. Yet despite having a known story, the new elements, including composer David Austin’s music had a wonderful sophistication not often found with a show’s initial production.

Fans of the film or novel, who are expecting to hear the familiar strains of Wind Beneath My Wings will be elated, since Signature’s production not only has the Grammy-winning song in it (incidentally, the only song in the show that is from the movie), but orchestrator Lynne Shankel and vocal arranger Austin have written an acoustic version that is even more beautiful than the original. Austin’s brand-new music was also impressive, not just because he has penned some powerful ballads, but because his tunes support the passage of 30 years. The show carries the audience from 1951 to 1983 and the musical numbers performed in their respective eras reflected the style of the time, from a more doo-wop rock ‘n roll sound in the 1950s scenes, to the disco of the 1970s and the vocal schmaltz of the 1980s.

Adeptly able to navigate through such a myriad of vocal styles is Umpress whose Cee Cee perfectly toes the fine line between paying homage to Midler (who played the role in the film) and making it her own. Her sultry voice was effortless and gorgeous, her acting impressive and her Cee Cee very likeable. Davi also is a wonderful singer, with a brighter sound than Umpress which provided a nice dichotomy between the characters—Cee Cee having the brighter personality, but darker voice and Bertie with the darker personality but brighter voice—the yin to one another’s yang. Davi and Umpress have a strong onstage chemistry which makes their friendship extremely believable and interesting to watch as it evolves and goes through challenges and trials. Even the young Cee Cee and Bertie, played by the fantastic Brooklyn Shuck and Presley Ryan, seemed genuinely connected to one another, making the simple origins of the friendship seem real and binding.

Like Cee Cee and Bertie’s friendship, the production, as a whole, is very real and seemingly simple, knowing that it took a lot of work to combine all the elements so beautifully. Without the spectacle and special effects common on so many Broadway stages, Dart’s lasting story, combined with Schaeffer’s superb directing, Austin’s remarkable music, a talented creative team, and solid cast results in a very impressive world premiere. Without needing much further editing or tweaking, Beaches should continue to have a long-lasting life onstage for years to come.

Beaches performs now through March 30, 2014 at Signature Theatre, located at 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington VA 22206. Tickets start at $40. For more information, call 703-820-9771.

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We Love Arts: An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin http://www.welovedc.com/2014/02/22/we-love-arts-an-evening-with-patti-lupone-and-mandi-patinkin/ Sat, 22 Feb 2014 14:00:41 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=96373 If a musical theatre lover were to create a bucke…

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Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin. Photo credit Joan Marcus

Mandy Patinkin and Patti LuPone onstage. Photo credit Joan Marcus

If a musical theatre lover were to create a bucket list, it would be a very safe bet to assume that seeing Patti LuPone or Mandy Patinkin perform live would be on the list. Both of them are Tony-award winners and legends of the stage and screen, with numerous credits to their names, so the opportunity to see LuPone and Patinkin individually on stage is enough to send shockwaves of excitement through any artistic community. To see them perform together, though, is tantamount in the theatrical community to the winning of the powerball lottery or finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. And if a person were lucky enough to see them perform together at a venue like the Eisenhower theatre in the Kennedy Center, and if it were not only every bit as good as you imagined, but even better (if that were possible), it would be a very safe bet that the bucket list would then have be retired completely, as the chance to see anything like it ever again is as rare as Haley’s comet.

Fortunately for the DC community, the above hypothetical situation is a current reality, and an amazing one at that. An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, directed by Patinkin himself with choreography by yet another Tony-award winner, Ann Reinking, and musical direction by Paul Ford, is in town for eight performances only and is worth cancelling all other plans this weekend in order to see this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

More than just an evening of seeing and hearing two of Broadway’s most iconic and beloved performers belting out showtunes, An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin is an intimate look into a thirty-five year old friendship that began when both starred in the original Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita. Not only do they sing selections from that show (and many others), but Patinkin and LuPone, arms enveloped around one another in a warm hug, share the story of how, through that production, their friendship developed and has continued for more than three decades.

For me, this was my favorite part of the entire show. To see such chemistry and genuine support of one another on stage, and to see them play off of one another, and really enjoy themselves on stage was a real treat. I could tell they sincerely love what they do and wanted to be nowhere else but on that stage, doing just what they were doing, which was inspiring. During the musical numbers, which were loosely grouped based on categorical similarities into a series of small vignettes, LuPone and Patinkin would not only play around with one another as the songs dictated, but behaved more as two talented best friends would, who just happened to get together on a nearly bare stage and were having a bona fide good time. It frequently felt like we, the audience, were getting a public peek into their private friendship and it was wonderful. Through a series of small touches, adoring looks, warm laughter, and finite musical chemistry, LuPone and Patinkin proved that friendship is more magical than phenomenal talent. To perform for more than 1,100 people and yet create a show that felt more like a one-on-one show in your private living room was incredible and their intimacy with each other translated to an intimacy with the audience that was very touching.

Although most of the show was singing, the small bits of dialogue and the short scenes they interjected to tie the musical numbers together were powerful because they were simple and sincere. There was no over-acting, no self-indulgence and no ego. For two people who have become so iconic and well-respected and who are such decorated veterans of the stage and screen to perform a show without ego or indulgence was impressive. LuPone’s voice is every bit as beautiful and powerful as it has always been and Patinkin’s voice sounded even better in person than on recordings and screen.

Perhaps, as with fine wine, musical theatre icons continue to get better with age. Or perhaps a chance to perform with one of your oldest and dearest friends on one of the greatest stages in the country is a guaranteed success. Regardless, An Evening with Pattie LuPone and Mandy Patinkin is one evening that gets checked off my bucket list, which I may just have to framed and hung on the wall next to the playbill to remind myself that it was not just an illusion, but an incredible reality.

An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin performs through February 23rd, 2014 at the Kennedy Center‘s Eisenhower Theater, located at 2700 F Street NW, Washington DC 20566. Tickets start at $95. For more information, call 202-467-4600.

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We Love Arts: Peter and the Starcatcher http://www.welovedc.com/2014/02/11/we-love-arts-peter-and-the-starcatcher/ Tue, 11 Feb 2014 14:00:59 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=96223 Joey deBettencourt as Boy and Megan Stern as Molly in Peter and the Starcatcher.  Photo by Jenny Anderson.

Joey deBettencourt as Boy and Megan Stern as Molly in Peter and the Starcatcher. Photo by Jenny Anderson.

Before actually seeing it at the Kennedy Center, all I knew about Peter and the Starcatcher was that it was somehow tied into the Peter Pan story. A look at the cast list, however, revealed only one familiar character, Smee (Captain Hook’s legendary sidekick), but no Peter, Wendy, Nana, and certainly no Hook. I also knew the show had won five Tony awards in 2013 during its Broadway run. What I didn’t know was how brilliant and funny it was, how innovative it was, or how incredibly directed it was, leaving me only to question why it didn’t win all the Tony awards. It was certainly worthy of it.

Although it starts out a bit like a Shakespeare play, with the audience just trying to figure out the world in which the show is set, who is who, what is what and how the poetic language is to be interpreted, mere minutes are all that are required to become lost in the fanciful and magical world of creativity. Based on a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, writer Rick Elice, directors Roger Brees and Alex Timbers, and a slew of phenomenal designers including Donyale Werle (set), Paloma Young (costumes), Jeff Croiter (lights), and Darron L. West (sound) have envisioned a production so innovative that it’s hard to imagine ever having to sit through any other play without being unimpressed.

What makes this show so magical is that every aspect was so tightly woven together and so carefully planned out that I was unable to separate the artistic elements. Sets, costumes, lights, sound, staging, and even the smallest of the actor’s nuanced inflections, movement, and timing were executed with such perfection in a seamless blend of theatrical components that made it impossible to identify which party was responsible for such genius. The amount of artistic planning and collaboration is evident in every facet of the show, though it is performed with such phenomenal precision and specificity without feeling rehearsed or repetitive. It felt fresh and new, with an cast who seemed to understand they were part of something special.

With 12 actors playing more than 100 characters, Peter and the Starcatcher is a true ensemble piece, with each member, who all have one primary role, also playing the myriad of bit parts and serving as the chorus, set movers, and sometimes even the set itself. Although each actor is tremendously talented, there were a few standouts, including Benjamin Schrader, playing the female nanny, Mrs. Bumbrake, delicately and femininely without resorting to the stereotypical elevated-voiced man-playing-woman Mrs. Doubtfire type. Megan Stern as Mrs. Bumbrake’s charge, Molly, was also spectacular, finding the right balance between the 13-year old character’s youthful naivety and innocence and her maturity and sense of responsibility. John Sanders, though, as Black Stache, stole the show, though, when he turned a one word line– ohmigod– into a hysterical three-minute monologue worthy of a standing ovation.

More than just for the ensemble of actors, though, the standing ovation at the curtain call for Peter and the Starcatcher should have also included the offstage ensemble of designers, writers, directors, and musicians (Andy Grobengieser and Jeremy Lowe, who provided sound effects as well as the occasional accompaniment) who made this show so successful. This is perhaps the most aggregate theatrical production I have ever seen where each individual associated with the production was equally integral and where, without each individual’s contribution, the show could not survive. Together, though, the individual components have achieved amazing life and have resulted in a unique, breathtaking, and awe-inspiring Neverland from which I hope to never return.

Peter and the Starcatcher performs now through February 16, 2014 at the Kennedy Center‘s Eisenhower Theater, located at 2700 F Street NW, Washington DC 20566. Tickets start at $55. For more information, call 202-467-4600.

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We Love Arts: Violet http://www.welovedc.com/2014/02/10/we-love-arts-violet/ Mon, 10 Feb 2014 18:00:43 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=96170 Erin Driscoll as Violet with Kevin McAllister and James Gardiner in the Ford’s Theatre production of the musical “Violet,” directed by Jeff Calhoun. Photo by Carol Rosegg.

Erin Driscoll as Violet with Kevin McAllister and James Gardiner in the Ford’s Theatre production of the musical “Violet,” directed by Jeff Calhoun. Photo by Carol Rosegg.

When the entire plot of a two-act show centers around the emotional scars present due to a very large physical scar and said scar (or even hint of it) is not actually present on the face of the leading character, who spends more than two hours on stage focusing solely on the fact that the invisible scar ruined her life, I have a hard time being sympathetic. When the same character continues to verbalize how ugly she is and then repeatedly and ignorantly insults an African-American man, who is always kind to her, for his physical appearance, I have a hard time respecting her. When she then engages in a sexual fling with his white army buddy who is cruel and disrespectful to her, and Act I ends with her naively believing that she has found love in this meaningless one-night stand, I have a hard time understanding her.

In Act II, when the protagonist’s deceased father appears to her in a vision of sorts to aid in her emotional healing and all she does is blame him for making her ugly (it was his loose axe blade that caused her physical deformity in the first place), I have a hard time even liking her. And then, after both the vision of her father and her journey to a faith healer fail to heal her physical or emotional scars, she is met at the bus station by the two servicemen who both profess their love to her. When this happens, with no explanation why the cruel man has changed his tune or why the kind man would want to be with a woman who has been so awful to him, I have given up.

Such was my experience with Violet at Ford’s Theatre. Although most of my criticism stems from blaring gaps and issues with writing team Brian Crawley and Jeanine Tesori’s script and director Jeff Calhoun’s failure to clarify some of these issues, the decision to not give actress Erin Driscoll, who plays the 25-year old Violet, the massive scar around which the entire show revolves meant that from the opening moment of the show, I was dismayed.

The fact that the production team and director deliberately chose to not have a physical manifestation of the most integral prop in the show– the scar– was a huge disservice to the show and to the performers. Without it, Driscoll’s insecurities, complaints, and anger over her hideous appearance made her seem like a whiny, entitled brat. To hear a beautiful and physically flawless woman do nothing but lament about the fact that she’s not pretty was obnoxious, rendering her completely unsympathetic. Not only do I not believe that she is ugly, I’m annoyed by the fact that she does. And when the pretty and unsympathetic Violet tells the sympathetic Flick (played by Kevin McAllister) that he is ugly because his skin is dark, it sounded so cold, cruel, and racist that she became truly unlikeable.

Once I not only lost any sympathy for her, but began to also dislike her, I felt no desire to root for her success on her journey. To spend all her money to visit a faith healing preacher when the only thing that seems to need healing is her ego just seemed ridiculous and pointless. At no point in the show is Violet a character worth liking, which makes the final scene, where Flick admits his love for her, very confusing. Not only could I not understand why a man who has been belittled and dehumanized by Violet would want to be with her, but it wasn’t clear where her change of heart happened that allowed her to see past her own bias against him. Had there been an actual reason to feel sympathy for her, this realization that a person’s worth is more than skin-deep might be somewhat understanding and effective. But without feeling anything but disdain for the superficial Violet, her immediate redemption as a caring, feeling human being made no sense and, indeed, fell flat.

To have an entire show’s plot based on one important element and then fail to actually include that fundamental element in your show was a complete failure. And the biggest casualty in this tragedy was, unfortunately, the very talented Driscoll whose great singing and acting talents couldn’t compensate for the fact that without a scar, the beautiful flawless girl wanting to be even more beautiful becomes just a whiny narcissist. Considering the odds she was up against, her performance was commendable. To be an attractive actress trying to play the role of a hideously deformed woman without being made to look hideously deformed is a challenge and although she really gave a solid performance, it wasn’t enough to compensate for the abundance of character flaws and she never, therefore, won me over.

McAllister did win me over, though, with his sympathetic portrayal of Flick and his golden singing voice, although he was so charming in the role, it was difficult to understand why he would choose someone so unlikeable as Violet to love. Other standouts were Kellee Knighten Hough as Lulu, a singer in the church choir who turned a bit part into a very memorable character, and Chris Sizemore, who played six separate characters with such charming variety and diversity that I was unable to tell that they were all played by the same actor.

The reason to see Violet at Ford’s Theatre is for the 13 fine performers on stage who form a nice ensemble and the brilliant set design of Tobin Ost whose rotating multi-use pieces being transformed from scene to scene was the most exciting part of the show. Overall, though, Violet is very flawed. Or rather, she needed to be.

Violet performs now through February 23, 2014 at Ford’s Theatre, located at 511 Tenth Street NW, Washington DC (between E and F street). Tickets $15-$62. For more information, call 202-347-4833.
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We Love Arts: Twelfth Night http://www.welovedc.com/2014/01/14/we-love-arts-twelfth-night-3/ http://www.welovedc.com/2014/01/14/we-love-arts-twelfth-night-3/#comments Tue, 14 Jan 2014 21:00:43 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95867 Irina Tsikurishvili as Viola with Ensemble in Synetic Theater's Twelfth Night. Photo: Koko Lanham.

Irina Tsikurishvili as Viola with Ensemble in Synetic Theater’s Twelfth Night. Photo: Koko Lanham.

Synetic Theater has been praised for many years by the artistic community for their innovative visual theatre performance style. Combining movement and music and eschewing verbal dialogue to tell a story, their productions are unique and more eclectic than most other theatre happening in the DC area. The first time I saw one of their shows, I was blown away by the beauty, the fluidity, and the outside-the-box artistry. The second production I saw was also dazzling, but reminiscent of the first production I saw. By the time I saw my third Synetic production, I was feeling that as much as I enjoyed and appreciated what they did, they might be a proverbial one-trick pony. This didn’t stop me from seeing their shows, because I have always been impressed by the stunning design and the graceful movement of the company members, but I began to feel like I knew what I would be getting. For me, Synetic Theater was a place where the “you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all” adage seemed to apply.

But after seeing Synetic Theater’s production of Twelfth Night, I have to amend my former opinions. I now state with absolution that they are not a one-trick pony and have, once again, blown me away by the beauty and outside-the-box artistry unlike anything I have ever seen.

Synetic’s roaring 1920s interpretation of Shakespeare comedy was the perfect setting for the story. Not only did it allow for a lot of great ragtime music, but it meant that the company’s traditional movement style was mixed with a lot of familiar steps, like the Charleston and the Lindy Hop. For me, this combination of contemporary and classic jazzy movement and music styles kept the show fresh and exciting so it never felt stale or static.

By telling Shakespeare’s story through the lens of the making of a silent film, director Paata Tsikurishvili was able to utilize conventions of that art to further the plot. For example, when the devious members of Olivia’s household are tricking Malvolio (played by Irakli Kavsadze) into believing Olivia (Kathy Gordon) loves him, they do so by stringing together film footage showing her blowing kisses in his direction. By using characters Feste and Fabian (Ben Cunis and Vato Tsikurishvili) as the film’s director and cameraman, director Tsikurishvili also found a seamless way to transition between scenes. He simply has them direct the switching of movie sets, choreographed by the cast gracefully rolling scaffolding and furniture around the stage.

At the forefront of the cast is Synetic co-founder and resident choreographer Irina Tsikurishvili as Viola, the male-disguised Cesario wooing Olivia on behalf of Orsino (Philip Fletcher) who she secretly fancies herself. A phenomenal dancer, Ms. Tsikurishvili proves that she is also an astounding actress with impeccable comic timing and understanding of physical comedy.

One of the reasons I loved this production so much was that it wasn’t just movement and music. The show was rife with physical comedy and clowning. Cunis and Vato Tsikurishvili open the show with a Laurel & Hardy-esque clowning routine as the audience is being seated, and once the house lights dim, Alex Mills as Viola’s twin brother Sebastian continues the clown theme, this time as a commedia dell’arte harlequin. Even the staff of Olivia’s household are clowns, both literal (think red noses, but no oversize shoes) and with their physical antics. All members of the cast, in fact, excel at physical comedy which, combined with their incredible talents of movement and dance, produced a jaw-dropping, side-splitting evening of entertainment.

Twelfth Night is not your typical Synetic Theater show. If you’ve seen one show there, you definitely haven’t seen ‘em all. While it’s every bit as impressive and unique as their shows have proven to be, the combination of their expected elements mixed with familiar music, dance steps, physical comedy and clowning was something completely new and exciting. William Shakespeare himself would be proud.

Twelfth Night performs now through February 16, 2014 at Synetic Theater, located at 1800 South Bell Street, Arlington, VA 22202. Tickets $20-$75. Closest Metro stop: Crystal City (Yellow line). For more information, call 866-811-4111.

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My DC in 2013: Esther http://www.welovedc.com/2013/12/30/my-dc-in-2013-esther/ http://www.welovedc.com/2013/12/30/my-dc-in-2013-esther/#comments Mon, 30 Dec 2013 20:00:24 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95692

At the ripe old age of still under 40, I felt like I had a mid-life crisis of sorts in 2013.  This was the year my outside frustrations and internal conflicts collided and I found myself becoming a bit cynical, bitter, and angry at things I couldn’t control and at complete strangers who I assumed were total jerks because they refuse to use their turn signal when switching lanes. Mid-year, it began to dawn on me that I was becoming the very person I was used to showing the middle finger to, and that scared me. I didn’t like being “that” person and I began taking steps to change. As 2013 comes to an end, I am pleased to announce that my mid-life crisis has ebbed and I am on the road to an existential recovery.  And DC itself has been a great therapist in helping me sort out my personal predicaments and move forward towards a more positive me.

I spent the first three months of 2013 outside of DC. I had been cast in two shows at a theatre in a different city and was very excited to leave the winter weather, the hustle and bustle of the beltway, and enjoy some time in a place where the weather was warm and the pace of life a lot slower. And to be honest, I really did enjoy my time away. A break from the rat race of the District was a nice change of pace. The people I met were lovely, the food was amazing, and the lack of traffic was heavenly. But being away also helped me gain perspective on the city in which we live. I learned, first of all, that our local DC theatre scene is awesome! Not only do we have theatres in a rather large abundance (the city I was in had only three professional theatres in the entire metropolitan region), but the quality of shows is incredible. I have worked at a number of phenomenal union and non-union theatres in the DC area that are 1000% better than some of the union theatres I’ve performed in outside of DC (to include the city I was in earlier this year), both in quality of show and professional work ethic.  The performing artists I know in DC, both in the union and outside of it, appreciate the work they have and take pride in making each production something special. Being in another city and working with performers who were lacking that same ethic was frustrating. So many times, I remember confiding over the phone to my best friend that I knew at least 100 DC actors who would kill for the opportunities those locals were given, but refused to appreciate. Hence, when my time came to return to DC, I was very grateful. I did have a great time and am so glad for the experience I was given to perform in that city, but coming back to my hometown where professional artists are truly dedicated professionals was divine.

In addition to being an arts writer here, I do have other jobs (shocking, I know) and one of those is as a licensed tour guide in DC. When I returned from my three month performing venture, I jumped right into tour group season. Spring is the time of year that (as you have no doubt noticed if you are anywhere near the National Mall between March and June) the school groups from all over the USA who have been studying American history all year perform their requisite pilgrimage to their nation’s capital. For us locals, this means a million tour buses and 14-year olds infiltrating every nook and cranny of the museums and monuments and it can be overwhelming, annoying and frustrating. Spending four months, though, leading groups of people around our beautiful city helped me realize that we live in a freaking awesome place! Most of the school students who come to DC spend between $1000 and $1500 each to spend three days cramming in as many sites, smells, sounds, and experiences as they can before returning to their small towns where they will relish the memories and someday tell their grandchildren that “once upon a time, they saw the ACTUAL Lincoln Memorial.” How often it is that I drive over the 14th St bridge, past THE Jefferson Memorial without looking at it, or sit at the red light at the intersection of 16th St and H St NW, and not even think about the fact that THE White House is right in front of me. So for me, being a tour guide in DC is a wonderful reminder that I live somewhere special. Nearly everyone in the world knows where DC is and we are one of the top tourist destinations in the world. And yet, so few of the locals ever take advantage of the fact that in our backyards, any day of the year, for free (mostly), we can visit more than 100 museums, monuments, memorials, famous buildings, streets, restaurants, and other places that are of vast significant importance to our past, present and future.

True, there are also more than 100 sucky things about living in our urban sprawl, but I had spent so much time focusing on those things that it wasn’t until this year that I realized that DC isn’t going to change. It is what it is and I wanted to see the good in it instead of the bad. The fact that there is legislation regulating the height of buildings in the District means that we can’t build our city up (thus creating one of the worst commuter areas in the USA), but it also means we can enjoy the openness of the city and see the sky. The fact that an open parking spot near U St NW on a Saturday night is rarer than Superbowl wins for the Redskins also means that our city has a growing vibrant night life, with a plethora of incredible restaurants, great bars, and exciting night clubs. The fact that my small non-metro accessible one-bedroom apartment cost more than a large 4-bedroom house in the previous stated unnamed city means that my property values are only going up and I will have no problem selling it if I ever move because DC is pretty recession-proof.

The fact that DC can be both astounding and awful, depending on one’s perspective, is why it’s been such a good therapist to me. I was a pessimist for too long, only seeing the long lines at Marvin, the steep ticket prices at Arena Stage, the claustrophobic crowds at the Natural History Museum, or the metro delays. Spending time outside and inside DC in 2013 is turning me into an optimist and I’m excited to ring in 2014 standing in those lines meeting people from all over the world, seeing exceptional theatre at those prices, exploring the amazing museums that don’t have the huge crowds while appreciating that even the ones that do have some cool things to see, and happy to be on the metro platform because it means I’m going into the city to see or do something fabulous.

Thanks for being my couch in 2013, DC.  You saved me a lot of money on therapy.

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We Love Arts: Gypsy http://www.welovedc.com/2013/12/26/we-love-arts-gypsy/ Thu, 26 Dec 2013 18:00:46 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95645

Sherri L. Edelen as Momma Rose in Signature Theatre’s production of Gypsy. Photo by Teresa Wood.

Based on the real-life memoirs of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee, with book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy has been a beloved musical of mine ever since I was 15 and was fortunate enough to be cast in a local production of it. I have seen a number of productions both on stage (including the 2003 Broadway revival with Bernadette Peters) and screen (with the 1993 film version with Bette Midler my favorite). I can honestly say that Signature Theatre‘s current production was, by far, the best one I have ever seen. It was breathtaking, rendering me speechless. Those who know me realize that is a huge feat.

Between an engaging script and two acts of captivating songs, Gypsy is more the story of Gypsy Rose Lee’s mother, Rose, than it is about her. Although the account of the famous stripper (real name: Louise) and her sister, June, is told—their history as child performers on the vaudeville circuit to June’s running away from home and Louise’s transition from novelty act to burlesque performer—it is only to highlight the journey Rose takes. The quintessential stage mother, Rose foregoes personal relationships, a stable career and home life, and financial comfort so that her children may be stars. It is only when her children and fiancé leave her, their vaudeville careers washed up, and with her life in shambles that Rose realizes all the toiling and strife done in the name of her children were really about fulfilling a dream of stardom for herself that will never come true because she was “born too early and started too late.”

Fortunately for audiences in the DC area, actress Sherri L. Edelen who plays Mama Rose in Signature Theatre’s production was neither born too early nor started too late. Her performance as Mamma Rose was outstanding. Not only is she blessed with an amazing voice, but the acting subtleties she brought to the role provided so much dimension to her character that the culminating musical monologue of her journey, “Rose’s Turn,” in Act II, was genuinely touching and tragic, in a way that made you want to wrap your arms around her and make everything alright. It is easy for actors to simply play the narcissism in Rose, and Edelen chose to play against that, showing the real struggle between her ego and her sincere love for her fiancé, Herbie (played by Mitchell Hebert) and daughters (played by Nicole Mangi and Maria Rizzo). Throughout the entire show, I found myself rooting for Mama Rose, hoping Edelen would be able to successfully find that balance between her own dreams and those for her loved ones, all the while knowing she wouldn’t, but thinking that if anyone could do it, Edelen’s Mama Rose could.

Edelen was not the only standout in Signature’s production. Rizzo, as Louise, is a fine actor whose maturity from a young naïve also-ran to confident, independent headliner was impressive. Also remarkable were Erin Cearlock as Baby June, Vincent Kempski as Tulsa, Nicole Mangi as June, and basically the entire cast. There was not, in fact, a weak link in this show, although special mention should be made of Sandy Bainum, Donna Migliaccio, and Tracy Lynn Olivera as the three has-been strippers Tessie Tura, Mazeppa, and Electra, who not only nailed their number “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” but have some of the greatest roles in all musical theatre.

The standing ovation for these three ladies, and for the entire cast, is well-deserved. The artistic genius of director Joe Calarco, musical director Jon Kalbfleisch, and choreographer Karma Camp was evident throughout, with each line, harmony, time step and scene change well thought out and well rehearsed while appearing natural and seamless. From Kalbfleisch’s musical downbeat to begin the show with a full seven minute overture (overtures being something rarely seen in musical theatre these days) to Edelen’s powerful final glance toward the audience as the show concludes, I found each minute and moment to be enchanting and wonderful. Although there is a lot of great musical theatre in the DC area, it has been a long time since I have had such a great time at the theatre that I hoped it would never end. Everything about Signature Theatre’s production of Gypsy is coming up roses.

Gypsy performs now through January 26, 2014 at Signature Theatre, located at 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington VA 22206. Tickets $40-$105. For more information, call 703-820-9771.

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We Love Arts: Elf http://www.welovedc.com/2013/12/25/we-love-arts-elf/ Wed, 25 Dec 2013 14:00:59 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95623 Noah Marlowe and Will Blum in Elf at the Kennedy Center

Noah Marlowe and Will Blum in Elf at the Kennedy Center. Photo credit: Amy Boyle

There is something about the holidays that brings families to the theatre. People who don’t see live theatre the other 364 days of the year seem to revel in one annual trip with the children and in-laws to see actors sing and dance to melodies rife with sleigh bells and falling snow. Although there are a number of movies about Christmas, stage options until recently were very limited. There was A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, and White Christmas. Whether it was because repeated viewings of these shows is extremely monotonous or just because other movies leant themselves to being musicalized, Broadway has recently introduced three new shows into the holiday canon. Now families across America, in taking their annual jaunt to the theatre can also see How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story or Elf. For DC area residents, this year’s musical offering is the latter, based on the 2003 movie starring Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human raised as a Christmas elf who goes to New York City to meet his father, a high-powered book publisher with no holiday spirit. Although closely following the cinematic story, the musical stage version of Elf, playing at the Kennedy Center, doesn’t try to imitate the film, but provides its own take on the story and makes for a very fun family outing.

Being a fan of the film, but not wanting to just see a stage production mirroring the same thing I can see on DVD, I was pleasantly satisfied that Elf was able to keep the integrity of the plot, characters, and humor while, at the same time, giving each of those elements a fresh lift.

The plot, for example, while holding on to the same framework originally written by screenwriter David Berenbaum, was offered some small, but effective tweaks by stage writers Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin. In the film, Buddy ruins his father’s career by insulting a diminutive famous children’s book author (played by Peter Dinklage) and calling him a Christmas elf. On stage, this same result was obtained by having Buddy (played by Will Blum) accidentally shred an original book manuscript authored by a famous deceased writer because the paper in the machine turned into “snow”. Likewise, the relationship between Buddy and department store elf Jovie (played in the film by Zooey Deschanel and in the musical by Lindsay Nicole Chambers) is fleshed out in greater detail on stage than on screen. In the film, Buddy’s childlike innocence charms Jovie on their first date and after that, they remain a couple, with Jovie assisting Buddy help New York City renew a collective holiday spirit at the end of the film. On stage, after Buddy not only stands up Jovie for a date, but fails to deliver on his promise to get them into dinner at Tavern on the Green, Jovie breaks up with Buddy, only to reconnect with him near the end as she realizes he wasn’t being mean, he was just trying to save Christmas.

Blum, in his portrayal of Buddy the Elf, gave a commendable performance. To walk in the footsteps of Will Ferrell, whose portrayal has become iconic, without mimicking or losing the charm Ferrell brought to Buddy, is challenging. But Blum was able to successfully create a sugar-loving, eternally happy Buddy that was unique and completely his own, while finding small ways to pay homage to Ferrell’s film portrayal. His enthusiasm over things like the food carts in New York City and holiday decorations were given much the same level of endearing outlandishness as the film Buddy, although his level of innocence at all things human and urban seemed less believable than his movie counterpart’s portrayal. Still, Blum has a great singing voice and his interpretation of Buddy was likeable and charming. Chambers, as Jovie, and Larry Cahn, as Buddy’s dad, Walter, gave stand-out performances as well, finding ways to honor their screen characters without resorting to mere imitations.

In a world where Santa Claus is real and a Christmas elf can journey via iceberg from the North Pole to New York City, it only makes sense that singing and dancing would be a natural fit. Composer/lyricist team Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (who turned Adam Sandler’s The Wedding Singer into a stage musical in 2006) have written clever songs like Sparklejollytwinklejingly that, although a bit corny at times, perfectly fit the nature of a show that embraces its light-heartedness. Considering this, it was surprising, therefore, to find such beautiful ballads as well, like Never Fall in Love [with an Elf] and [Santa] I Believe in You that were both emotionally moving and amusing at the same time.

The beauty of Elf the musical was that it reminded me why I enjoyed the film without being the film. By combining good music with loveable characters, a fun story, and a ton of holiday spirit, Elf is certainly worthy of becoming an annual family holiday tradition. Fans of the movie will enjoy that it’s the same beloved story of Buddy the Elf. And those who aren’t will appreciate that this isn’t the movie. It’s a fresh take on a sparklejollytwinklejingly holiday tale.

Elf performs now through January 5, 2014 at The John F. Kennedy Center Opera House, located at 2700 F St NW, Washington DC 20566. Tickets $35-$150. For more information, call 202-467-4600.

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We Love Arts: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum http://www.welovedc.com/2013/12/18/we-love-arts-a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-forum/ http://www.welovedc.com/2013/12/18/we-love-arts-a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-forum/#comments Wed, 18 Dec 2013 20:00:30 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95405 A-Funny-Thing-Forum-STC-11-13-102The cast of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson

In graduate school, I spent an entire semester of theatre history studying Roman comedy, as this ancient art form continues to be seen in contemporary farce today. One of my favorite musical comedies, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, is the perfect descendent of this form, since it not only utilizes 2,000-year old comedy conventions, such as puns, mistaken identity, physical humor and absurdity, but also because its plot is taken directly from three plays written by Plautus, the Roman father of farce himself.

Forum tells the ribald story of a slave named Pseudolus who attempts to win his freedom by assisting his youthful master win the heart of the beautiful courtesan next door. Using the classical elements of farce and punctuated by fun melodies with clever lyrics, Forum is such a well-written show that even the most amateur of productions can be excellent. I have, in fact, seen Forum a number of times, ranging in scope from its Broadway revival in 1997 to a 40-seat community theatre production with virtually no budget, and thoroughly enjoyed it every time. This is why I was so excited to see Forum at The Shakespeare Theatre Company and why I was so disappointed in their production. If a community theatre of amateur actors, directors, and designers can take a nearly perfect script and present farcical magic, I expected one of the greatest theatres and directors in the DC area, combined with a cast of actors with numerous Broadway credits, to be incredible. And it wasn’t.

The problem, for me, is that the production wasn’t funny. A good friend of mine, a professional clown, incidentally, came to the show with me. She was looking forward to seeing the show because she had heard it was hysterical and full of the types of antics, jokes, and gags that are a staple in her profession. I, too, had raved to her about how amusing the show was and how I considered it to be one of the most perfectly written farces because the humor is so inherent in the script. Without need to be played up or explained to the audience, the humor of Forum is found through the same simplicity and time-honored jokes that clowns have been using for centuries, which is one of the reasons I thought my clown friend would enjoy Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production so much. As the show progressed, however, I heard nary a peal of laughter emanating from her, and was not surprised when she turned to me at intermission and said “I know you love this show and all, but I’m thinking your definition of funny must be different than mine, because this isn’t funny.”

In such a delightful comedy such as Forum, no embellishment is needed to do the show justice. By simply sticking to the script, as I have seen in the previous productions, the result can be wonderfully satisfying amusement. And that may have been the case with this production were it not for what I perceive as confused direction. It seemed to me like director Alan Paul felt the need to add in bits or jokes that were intended to be funny but instead, just muddled the original script and, in some cases, messed up the gag entirely.

For example, in the opening number, as Pseudolus is setting the scene and presenting the various characters in the show, he introduces the audience to the house of Eronius, an old man in search of his children who were stolen in infancy by pirates. There was, then, a re-enactment of the fabled baby heist that turned into a running joke involving a series of baby dolls that resurfaced a number of times throughout the show. This re-enactment, which is not scripted, ended up being several minutes long in order to introduce the baby doll gag. Its lengthy setup, however, meant that when Pseudolus returned to the next scripted line– about the neighborhood brothel, “for those of you who have no interest in pirates”—it wasn’t funny because the pirates had been off stage for several minutes and the audience didn’t make the connection. In fact, many of the moments in the show that could have been hysterical ended up losing steam because the actors had been given some other gag or bit and the original text was lost to the audience.

In addition, many of the jokes felt too contrived, with lines that were supposed to appear to be ‘off the cuff’ or improvised sounding too rehearsed. At times, Pseudolus, played by Broadway veteran Bruce Dow, who also serves as the show’s narrator, would interact with the audience, speaking directly to them. While I loved this added convention to the script because it allowed Dow the opportunity to deviate from what was written to engage with the live audience, it felt like these deviations were actually scripted and directed and therefore, lost the pleasure of humorous momentary discovery. It seemed like the lines were being said for the sake of being said, not because they were funny in that moment, but because he had been directed to say them.

There were too many moments in the show, in fact, that felt too directed, where the humor which could have evolved naturally from the actors and the script was oversaturated by unnecessary bits. These may have been meant to punctuate the humor, but only served to kill the original intent of the joke. Unfortunately for the actors, this meant that most of their performances suffered from this directorial overkill and became too overblown, instead of keeping their performances rooted in the original text and simple, effective conventions of Roman comedy.

Although this seemed to be a problem overall, there were a few exceptions. Lora Lee Gayer, as Philia, the courtesan love of the young Hero (played by Nick Verina), presented a fresh take on her character, playing Philia’s dim-witted nature very straight and subdued, rather than hyped up and bimbo-like, and it was brilliant. Likewise, Edward Watts, as the overblown warrior Miles Gloriosus, didn’t allow himself to become too overblown and remained highly amusing. There were actually many highly amusing moments in the show and scenes and songs that were wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed those flashes of witty and amusing comedy, which was why I was so disappointed to have them so overshadowed by moments that weren’t.

Forum is funny. But not because the director tells me it’s funny. It’s funny because it’s an extremely well-written farce that doesn’t need a lot of embellishment and where the text speaks for itself. For me, the text in this production was lost and the humor rarely found.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum performs now through January 5, 2014 at The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall, located at 610 F St NW, Washington DC 20004. Tickets $40-$110. For more information, call 202-547-1122.

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We Love Arts: If/Then http://www.welovedc.com/2013/11/26/we-love-arts-ifthen-2/ http://www.welovedc.com/2013/11/26/we-love-arts-ifthen-2/#comments Tue, 26 Nov 2013 18:00:31 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95243 Idina Menzel and company in If/Then at the National Theatre. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Idina Menzel and company in If/Then at the National Theatre. Photo by Joan Marcus.

IF seeing a world-premiere musical before it went to Broadway weren’t exciting enough, THEN learning that Tony-award winners Idina Menzel and LaChanze were in it, along with Anthony Rapp and James Snyder, I was elated beyond comprehension. IF the writer/composer team of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey could write a great musical, like Next To Normal, THEN their new show was probably going to be awesome. IF, after seeing it, I told you it was perfect, THEN I’d be lying. But IF I told you that If/Then at the National Theatre has something compelling to it, THEN that would be the absolute truth.

Set around the premise that one tiny, seemingly insignificant decision can alter the course of one’s life, If/Then addresses the ultimate existential question. What if…? In this case, Elizabeth (Menzel) simultaneously experiences dueling, but separate, existences based on the events that follow when she is faced with choosing whether to get coffee with a neighbor or attend a protest rally with a friend. In one scenario, she joins her neighbor Kate (LaChanze) for coffee, and in the process meets her future husband, becomes an adjunct professor, has a family, and is eventually faced with terrible tragedy that forces her to question whether she made the right choice that day she went out for coffee. In the other scenario, she joins her friend Lucas (Rapp) at a protest rally where she runs into an old colleague who offers her a corporate job as a New York city planner, becomes a successful professional, choosing a career over marriage and falling into a series of unsuccessful romantic relationships, eventually facing a terrible tragedy that forces her to question whether she made the right choice that day she followed Lucas to the rally.

While this was an interesting concept, I found that I didn’t fully understand exactly what was happening, or who was who in which scenario, until about 30 minutes into the show. Once I figured out that a red background was referring to the events of the coffee scenario, a blue background meant the rally scenario, that Elizabeth was Liz in one scenario and Beth in another, that her friends remained constant in both, but her careers and personal relationships didn’t cross over into both worlds, it made more sense. Both lives that Elizabeth leads are fun to see juxtaposed side by side and director Michael Greif has seamlessly woven them together. Events in each of the separate scenarios show the audience how, together, Elizabeth is a whole person, but separately, she’s incomplete, longing for something more. Because both lives find her wanting, it’s difficult to know which scenario you hope is the ‘true’ one, and about halfway through Act II, I realized that somehow the two would have to converge in order to have a satisfactory ending.

However, that ending, while it found a way to tie the two worlds together into a fairly complete conclusion, also negated the whole point of the show in doing so. This entire premise, based on the fact that destiny is created by the individual choices humans make, is erased by the realization that regardless of which simple choice Elizabeth made five years prior, it really didn’t matter because, in the end, fate was going to step in and make the choice for her. And, if fate is going to decide the course of human life, why bother considering whether you made the right choice if there is, ultimately, no actual choice?

If, existentially, there is no choice in life, at least there is a choice in casting. And the cast of If/Then is pleasantly diverse and unique, shying away from a homogenous ensemble and predictable supporting characters in favor of actors who look and act more like actual humans than those usually found in the typical Broadway assembly line of tall, lithe, unrealistically beautiful people.

Clearly written as a love letter for Elizabeth, If/Then provides Menzel with a star vehicle that she aptly handles with finesse and ease. Combining her talent for dry wit and her beautiful, bright voice, she really is stunning on stage and proves herself worthy of her status as a Broadway superstar. Although playing supporting roles to Menzel’s Elizabeth, LaChanze, Rapp, Snyder, and Jerry Dixon prove that they are also worthy of star status. LaChanze is a natural talent with such smooth vocals that I found myself excited each time she sang and secretly hoping that somehow Kate’s story line would not be merely a supporting one. Likewise, Rapp’s Lucas, written to be quite different in the two scenarios, showed great acting prowess by navigating flawlessly between the two. Snyder, as Elizabeth’s husband, Josh, in the coffee scenario, was so endearing, it was easy to see why Elizabeth gave up the single life for him and made it that much more heartbreaking when she had to give him up. Dixon, as Stephen, Elizabeth’s boss in the rally scenario, defies all stereotypes of the smarmy, arrogant boss, dripping icky sex appeal and was, instead, a genuine, down to earth, handsome man to be respected and liked. Rounding out the cast was an incredible ensemble who all successfully blended into the scenarios while maintaining individuality of character.

Musically, there are a handful of numbers that will no doubt find their way into the audition songbook of every aspiring actor, including “You Don’t Need to Love Me” (sung by Lucas declaring his love to Beth), “Hey Kid” (sung by Josh to his unborn baby), “What the F—“ (sung by Elizabeth during two separate moments of romantic weakness), and Elizabeth’s existential awaking torch song “Always Starting Over.”

Knowing that the next stop for If/Then is on Broadway, and knowing that while I thoroughly enjoyed the show, I left with a lot of confusion regarding what the actual point of the show is, I’m interested to see what the not-so-distant future holds for it. IF one small decision really can alter the course of one’s life, THEN maybe a few small changes can alter the course of the show and make it a success on the Great White Way.

If/Then performs now through December 8 at the National Theatre, located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20004. Tickets $58-$103. For more information, call 202-628-6161. 

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We Love Arts: Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life http://www.welovedc.com/2013/11/25/we-love-arts-maurice-hines-is-tappin-thru-life/ Mon, 25 Nov 2013 18:00:30 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95218 Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life

Maurice Hines in Arena Stage’s Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life. Photo credit: Teresa Wood

When I was 7 years old, I saw an episode of Sesame Street, where two brothers used choreography in the foreground and background to demonstrate the difference between near and far. I was completely mesmerized. That’s when I fell in love with tap dancing and with the Hines brothers. To have the opportunity to see Maurice Hines himself in Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life at Arena Stage, therefore, was the fulfillment of a childhood dream and I had extremely high expectations. I mean, here was one-half of the partnership that so creatively taught me the difference between things that were close and further away, using nothing but his feet, rhythm and charisma. How could it be anything less than great? To be honest, though, it was not great. It was phenomenal.

Less a traditional theatrical format and more a tribute to some of the greatest talents in American music history, Tappin’ Thru Life reminded me of a multi-mode art installation, the likes of which are rarely seen on stage anywhere. Although I was born and raised in the era of disco and big hair bands, to see a performance that so richly entertained based purely on the bare talents of a nine-piece jazz orchestra playing standards, two sets of tap dancing brothers, and a 70-year old legendary performer without any pyrotechnics, technological enhancement, or schmaltzy glitz was a rare gift.

Although less well-known, perhaps, than his younger brother Gregory (who died of liver cancer in 2003), Maurice Hines is still a performing force not to be trifled with. An amazing dancer and fine comedian, his charisma and infectious charm as an entertainer make you forget that he’s not a great singer. He is such a pleasure to watch and knows how to sell a song that it doesn’t matter that his vocals aren’t on par with some of the greats he’s had the privilege of sharing a stage with. Paying tribute to legends like Lena Horne, Judy Garland, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald, by singing their music, Hines takes each song and makes it his own. By adding personal stories and anecdotes about each artist while playing with a song’s tempo, adding musical riffs, and interacting with members of the audience, Hines turns familiar tunes into original showstoppers, each number more heartfelt and entertaining than the previous one.

The form of story-telling Hines uses, blending autobiographical narration with beloved songs he had stylized takes the audience on a light-hearted high that culminates in a sweet and emotional tribute to his brother. Standing in his own spotlight, Hines invites the spirit of Gregory to “join him” and when a second empty spotlight appears next to him and begins to move in sync with Hines dancing, the effect was so enchanting in its simplistic beauty that many in the audience, including myself, were unashamedly moved to tears.

The Hines brothers were the tap-dancing brother sensation in the mid-twentieth century, taking the reins from the Nicholas brothers, the performing stars of the jazz circuit during the Harlem Renaissance. As Hines discusses at length in Tappin’ Thru Life, his relationship with his brother, and the chance to grow up side by side on the stage with one another is an experience shared by few, but something to treasure. Perhaps it is this reason, or simply because they are also incredible, that Hines introduces the audience to two new generations of tap-dancing brothers, John and Leo Manzari, and D.C.’s young Max and Sam Heimowitz, thus passing on the torch that began early last century with Fayard and Harold Nicholas. Each set of brother’s show, with precise footwork, challenging choreography, and playful antics, show why tap dancing is not a lost art, reminding me why I loved it from that first moment I saw the Hines brothers doing it on Sesame Street 30 years ago. The Manzari and Heimowitz brothers, first showcasing their duet talents, then sharing the stage as a quartet, and finally adding Hines to the mix was an incredible culmination to the evening. To see the five dancers, spanning three generations, all in complete sync, backed by an amazing orchestra (led by Dr. Sherrie Maricle and comprised of nine sassy women), without the contemporary theatrical default of technological spectacle, is an experience unmatched by the celebrity performers today. This is true talent, raw and simple. And phenomenal.

Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life performs at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theatre now through December 29, located at 1101 6th St SW, Washington DC 20024. Tickets $50-$95. For more information, call 202-554-9066.

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We Love Arts: The King and I http://www.welovedc.com/2013/11/18/we-love-arts-the-king-and-i/ Mon, 18 Nov 2013 20:00:30 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95142

Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward in Olney Theatre Center’s The King and I. Photo credit: Stan Barouh

To be considered a lover or scholar of musical theatre, there is an essential repertoire of work that a person must know. Alongside shows like Oklahoma, Fiddler on the Roof, and Guys & Dolls, The King and I stands proudly as one of these classic standards. When it opened on Broadway in 1951, it broke thematic ground, with a plot based on actual historical events and character’s relationships focused on respect and understanding, rather than romantic love. Following the story of English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens’ experience teaching the children and wives of Siamese King Mongkut in 1863 Bangkok, The King and I is as much a tale of political diplomacy and an examination of the post-colonial cultural struggle as it is a heartfelt musical with beautiful songs.

In closing out their 75th season, Olney Theatre Center’s production of this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic presents a fine balance between these light-hearted tunes and the more dramatic themes of imperialism and honor. Without getting overly sentimental or insufficiently serious, director Mark Waldrop has created the perfect blend of elements and reminded me why The King and I has been so beloved for more than 60 years. He has assembled a large cast (36 actors, although the children are double-cast, so there’s never more than 28 in a show) and an impressive 12-person design team, and yet not allowed the 2 hour 45 minute show fall prey to its own mammoth size, or even feel like it was nearly three hours. The show was clean, clear, and well-paced, with a very talented cast.

Eileen Ward was able to be simultaneously delicate and feminine, as well as strong and unyielding in her portrayal of Anna, which was a nice complement to the King, played by Paolo Montalban. Montalban possesses such a strong star power and sex appeal that I found myself unable to look anywhere else when he was on stage. He has such a powerful, commanding presence that his realization that he is actually vulnerable and mortal becomes heartbreaking. Other standouts include Janine Sunday (Lady Thiang), whose voice and acting were enchanting, Eymard Cablings (Lun Tha) who has such a silky voice that it was easy to understand why Tuptim (played by YoonJeong Seong) would risk her life to have a forbidden love affair with him, and Rumi Oyama (Eliza) whose dancing was spectacular in the Small House of Uncle Thomas Ballet.

Although it is one of the great classics of musical theatre, The King and I suffers from the same dilemma as many period pieces, in that there is very limited creative license a production can take. Set in 1863 Bangkok, and dealing with very specific cultural and social tensions between the British Empire and Siam, directors and designers have a finite window of options in order to adhere to the integrity of the script. A talented cast, great direction, and stellar designers certainly improve the quality of the show, but that tends to be the only distinction between productions, which is why I feel like this show as a whole falls under the adage “you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all.” If you’re wanting to see something new and innovative, this isn’t it. That eing said, if you are a fan of the 1956 film, love the music from the show, or have simply enjoyed previous productions of The King and I, you’ll love Olney Theatre Center’s production, since they do have a talented cast, great direction and stellar designers.

The King and I performs at Olney Theatre Center now through December 29, located at 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD 20832. Tickets $31-64. For more information call 301.924.3400.

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We Love Arts: Crossing http://www.welovedc.com/2013/11/11/we-love-arts-crossing/ http://www.welovedc.com/2013/11/11/we-love-arts-crossing/#comments Mon, 11 Nov 2013 18:00:47 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95026 TWood_Crossing_470-1024x661

The cast of Signature Theatre’s production of Crossing. Photo credit: Teresa Wood.

There was so much to like about Crossing at Signature Theatre, the world premiere musical written by the extremely talented writing team, Grace Barnes and Matt Connor, whose Nevermore was premiered at the theatre in 2006. From Eric Schaeffer’s beautiful, yet simple set design, the spectacular rain effects orchestrated by lighting designer Chris Lee, the lovely underscoring of the orchestra led by music director Gabriel Mangiante, to the phenomenal acting and vocal prowess of nine incredible actors, Barnes and Connor created moments of theatrical magic, punctuated by uncomplicated dialogue and enchanting melodies.

There was also much about Crossing that was problematic. Although it has enjoyed readings and a workshop, this is the first full production of Crossing and, like all new shows, it felt like it was still trying to find its footing. The challenge of producing new work is that the premiere production is part of the continued refining and improving of a show, which means that the initial audience is witness to some of the kinks and challenges that eventually are worked out until a show is a masterpiece. Understanding this, I applaud the writing of Barnes and Connor, who have a very solid framework in place, and am confident that Crossing will achieve the same success that their Nevermore and Connor’s The Hollow and Night of the Living Dead are enjoying.

Set in a train station in anytown and anytime USA, Crossing follows the personal intimate emotional journeys of travelers as they wait for a train, highlighting the concerns and fears that they can’t share with loved ones, but choose to share with strangers to whom they feel a kinship, in the same way many people do with others they are seated next to on an airplane or a neighboring bar stool. Although the characters are living in different decades of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, they interact with one another beyond time and comprehension, listening to, supporting, and uniting with one another, giving the audience the impression that regardless when or where we live or have lived, each human soul has a journey they have to make alone, but are afraid to do so.

The nine actors who play each of these characters were extremely talented and impressive. Signature regulars Christopher Mueller, Chris Sizemore, Florence Lacey, Nova Y. Payton, and Tracy Lynn Olivera, were all well-cast and although they have been seen in numerous shows on the Signature stage, their commitment and transformation to their respective roles made you forget you have seen them in anything else there. Joining them were Peggy Yates, Austin Colby, Ines Nassara, and John Ray who were equally committed and enjoyable to watch. The cast had a lovely symbiosis and it was a clear this was an ensemble of actors who support one another wholeheartedly.

Likewise, the production elements were alluring. Crossing is beautiful in its simplicity. Connor’s music is effortless and sweet, there is one act, one set, one set of costumes, a small handful of sound cues, no choreography, and not many places for the actors to move onstage since all nine are onstage the entire show, working their way in and out of train platform benches. The intimacy produced by these uncomplicated elements was touching and at times, breathtaking. When Payton as the Unknown Woman, was singing “After the Rain,” lighting designer Lee used a pool of light, a purple wash, and smoke to create a rain effect that was brilliant and dazzling.

The quality of the designs and the performances, however, weren’t enough to leave me feeling satisfied when the production was over. When the house lights came up, I found I had more questions than answers and, like a diner who has enjoyed a great appetizer in anticipation of an even more promising entrée only to be told the meal is, in fact, over, I found myself wanting more as the cast were taking their bows. The audience is introduced to the nine characters and provided with just enough information about their lives and struggles that they become sympathetic and you root for them to find the answers, the peace, or success they are searching for. But that’s it. The audience is not fed any further. Whether these characters will actually find resolution is unclear.

Will the 1917 Soldier return home alive from the war? Will the 1964 Civil Rights Marcher actually have the strength to board the Freedom Train, knowing the struggle ahead? Will the daughter of the 1977 Woman with Flowers actually arrive and if she does, why exactly is she coming home? Will the Wealthy Man in 1929 really jump in front of the train and end his life? Will the Woman in Pink in 1954 ever get on the train? And what will become of her son who longs to travel anywhere? Will the backpacker of today decide to return to the USA or will he find he enjoys the expat life and the promise of romance overseas? And who, exactly, is this Unknown Woman and what is her purpose in the show? Nothing is told of her story, who she is, why she is there, and aside from the fact that Payton has a heavenly voice and is a pleasure to watch, I had no idea why she was there. She almost seems to be some sort of ethereal presence, but exactly what or who she represents was so ambiguous, I wasn’t really sure. I was invested in these characters (with the exception of the Unknown Woman) and to have the show end without satisfying my craving to see their journey come to any sort of conclusion was frustrating.

The train arrives, but then what? Although I appreciate a show that allows the audience to form their own conclusions and ideas, this felt more like a cliffhanger that ultimately left me dangling.

Crossing performs at Signature Theatre now through November 24, located at 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. Tickets $29-79. For more information call 703-820-9771. 

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We Love Arts: Love in Afghanistan http://www.welovedc.com/2013/10/29/we-love-arts-love-in-afghanistan/ Tue, 29 Oct 2013 19:00:24 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=94762 Love in Afghanistan

Khris Davis and Melis Aker in Love in Afghanistan at Arena Stage. Photo credit: Teresa Wood.

It could have been the perfect modern-day Cinderella story—rich and handsome boy meets oppressed but beautiful girl, the attraction is immediate, they fall in love, and despite the multiple barriers that ensue, he eventually rescues her from her oppressive situation, they get married and live happily ever after in his world of fame and fortune, never to look back on her former life of injustices. Real life and love, of course, are much more complicated, and thankfully, the lovers’ relationship in Arena Stage’s production of Love in Afghanistan reflects life and love’s complexities. It doesn’t fall prey to the fairy tale ending.

Playwright Charles Randolph-Wright’s modern tale of love in war-torn Afghanistan is the story of Duke (played by Khris Davis), a young, successful American hip-hop artist performing for the US troops at the military base in Kabul, whose language interpreter, Roya (Melis Aker), is a beautiful and smart Afghan woman who, when she’s not utilizing her skills as a polyglot for the US military, is secretly helping run an underground rescue organization for women. Intrigued and impressed by the other person, an immediate and intimate friendship between Duke and Roya develops. Although the transition from friendship to love is predictable, the relationship between the two characters is not. Theirs is a love complicated by the intricacies of two separate cultures that, in many ways, are not compatible with one another. He is from the ‘land of the free and home of the brave’ where playing the proverbial hero on the white horse rescuing the damsel in distress is considered noble and romantic, while she is from a land where, although fear permeates every facet of life and bomb explosions are regular occurrences, women do not want to be rescued by men but, rather, are rescuing themselves from the oppression of a male-dominated society.

Randolph-Wright has written an extremely compelling story which explores the notion that love does not necessarily mean building a life together, but does mean that individual life can be built together. He gracefully creates a hopeful ending without selling out to the Hollywood ideal of “happily ever after,” sculpting interesting and sympathetic characters.

Davis, as Duke, perfectly captures the essence of young ego, mixed with hidden uncertainties and doubts about himself and his future that emerge in beautiful moments of vulnerability. To watch him seamlessly transition from outer bravado to inner fear, while at the same time watching Akers’ transition from outer fear to inner strength was exciting. Akers puts in an amazing performance as well that was moving and powerful, not ever letting the audience feel sorry or afraid for her. Rounding out the cast were the fine talents of Joseph Kamal, whose portrayal as Sayeed, Roya’s father, was very caring and compassionate, and Dawn Ursula, as Duke’s mother, Desiree, whose impeccable comic timing provided for some of the most enjoyable moments of the show.

Although there are only four actors present, there other characters in the show, specifically US military interrogators and a Afghan prison detainee, who were not seen or heard by the audience, but were seen by and spoken to by the ensemble. Although the quartet provided the audience clues as to what was supposedly said by these invisible characters, to see them interact with these non-entity beings emotionally pulled me out of the world of the play. Instead of feeling like I was a witness to the real lives of these four characters, I felt like I was an adjudicator in a monologue competition. While I understand the reason why these silent characters were not played by actual people, some of the writing and scripted responses to them seemed hackneyed and trite, unlike the rich dialogue found throughout the rest of the show, and which subsequently, was very distracting.

Similarly, I was confused why, throughout the show, the actors not in the scene would occasionally remain on stage, but at other times, they would exit, leaving only the actors in that scene on stage. When they would remain, they were still and silent, but were sometimes facing the audience, at other times would turn their back to the audience, or once, were standing visible in the wings. Perhaps director Lucie Tiberghien had good reasons for choosing to keep all actors on stage and in certain positions during certain scenes, but I couldn’t figure out what those were. That being said, her directional navigation of Randolph-Wright’s compelling story with four extremely talented actors was impressive. To have the lead characters repeat the opening dialogue as the closing dialogue, but to have them swap positions on stage to show the evolution of their relationship, was very simple but extremely powerful, and a brilliant feat of writing by Randolph-Wright. The strength of Love in Afghanistan lies in that powerful simplicity. It’s a modern Cinderella love story. Minus Cinderella.

Love in Afghanistan is in performance now through November 17, in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle at Arena Stage, the Mead Center for American Theater, located at 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024. Tickets $50-105. Closest Metro stop: Waterfront (Green line). For more information call 202-554-9066.

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